The district first proposed the change during a board workshop last week as a “proactive” step to get ahead of anticipated population growth.

School board members will need to consider the issue after a public hearing following the Christmas holiday before any changes occur.

Moments after voting to move this issue forward, the board shot down a proposal by board member Melissa Thrush for a public hearing to discuss eliminating a dual transportation zone in east Niceville.

Thrush made the proposal after finding the district is spending nearly $40,000 each year to transport 39 students from Niceville to Destin Middle School. Next year it will be only 20 students.

She wanted to remove the dual zone and take the cash saved to help out with transportation costs in the rest of the district.

Her motion died for lack of second, but at the end of the meeting Thrush took a moment to point out the disproportionate amount of funding used for those two buses.

She noted specifically that Destin Middle had only $18,355 set aside for all its maintenance and repair needs and that $40,000 was more than the district paid most of its support staff like custodians and bus drivers.

The district first proposed the change during a board workshop last week as a “proactive” step to get ahead of anticipated population growth.

School board members will need to consider the issue after a public hearing following the Christmas holiday before any changes occur.

Moments after voting to move this issue forward, the board shot down a proposal by board member Melissa Thrush for a public hearing to discuss eliminating a dual transportation zone in east Niceville.

Thrush made the proposal after finding the district is spending nearly $40,000 each year to transport 39 students from Niceville to Destin Middle School. Next year it will be only 20 students.

She wanted to remove the dual zone and take the cash saved to help out with transportation costs in the rest of the district.

Her motion died for lack of second, but at the end of the meeting Thrush took a moment to point out the disproportionate amount of funding used for those two buses.

She noted specifically that Destin Middle had only $18,355 set aside for all its maintenance and repair needs and that $40,000 was more than the district paid most of its support staff like custodians and bus drivers.